new Assessments
Parents’ Guide to New English Language ARTS
Assessments in Minnesota In 2010, Minnesota adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts (ELA), which were modified, supplemented with state-specific content, and incorporated into the Minnesota K–12 Standards. These new standards offer a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn as they progress through grades K–12. Minnesota is now rolling out the new ELA assessments aligned to the these more rigorous standards, which will complement the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) in math, science, and other core subjects.
What are the CCSS on which the Minnesota K–12 ELA Standards are based? The CCSS are designed to enhance and improve student learning by providing greater clarity and rigor than previous standards. They are more relevant to the real world, giving young people the knowledge and skills they need for college and career success. They are also robust, ensuring a future U.S. workforce that can compete in the global economy. The new standards emphasize fewer topics and stress not only rote skills, but also conceptual and critical thinking. The CCCS build knowledge from grade to grade, enabling students to master important concepts before moving on to others.
in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, college faculty, parents, and education experts. They build on the excellent foundation laid across all states, and have been internationally benchmarked to ensure rigor on par with top-performing nations. To date, more than 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the CCSS. Minnesota has adopted only the most relevant principles of the CCSS to enhance its ELA program.
This Guide Includes: ■■
Overview of new assessments, which measure student proficiency against more rigorous standards
The standards are not a curriculum. Decisions about curriculum, tools, materials, and textbooks are left to local districts and schools that know their students best.
■■
Sample test items
■■
Overview of accountability for students, teachers, and schools
The CCSS were developed through a state-led initiative, spearheaded by governors and school superintendents,
■■
Additional resources for parents
New Assessments Why new assessments? Teachers and principals talk a lot about assessments, which are used to measure students’ academic achievement. This document highlights the end-of-year summative assessments, which judge student progress toward mastering state standards and program and school effectiveness. For other assessments used, see box at right. New summative assessments will address longstanding concerns that parents, educators, and employers have had about current state assessments—namely that they measure students’ ability to memorize facts, rather than their critical thinking and knowledge application skills. What is different about the new assessments? The new assessments will enable educators to deepen their understanding of student progress from grade to grade—and just as importantly, identify any gaps in progress so they can address them well before students enter college or the workforce.
Types of assessments Classroom-based: Individual tests given by teachers as needed throughout the year to assess knowledge and skills in specific areas
Interim: The same test repeated at set intervals to measure student growth over time
Summative: End-of-year assessments administered by the state to measure student performance against a common set of standards This document addresses summative assessments.
New English language arts assessments will demonstrate: ■■ Whether students can read and comprehend texts of varying complexities. ■■ How well students can integrate information across sources to make a persuasive argument.
■■ The degree to which students can use context to determine the meaning of academic vocabulary.
Benefits of new assessments ■■ During the next few years, assessments will provide results more quickly and in an increasingly readable and easy-to-understand format, most likely online. Parents can use this information to better communicate with teachers and school administrators about their child’s progress, and teachers can use it to better tailor instruction to the child’s needs.
■■ Minnesota continues to expand online testing, moving toward providing MCA tests online. (Schools will continue having the option to administer paper tests). Computer-based assessments are more efficient, innovative, and engaging, and they enable insight into student progress at multiple points.
■■ The new assessments will be designed to provide accurate measures of achievement and growth for all students, including those with disabilities and English language learners.
College and Career Readiness Defined: The level of preparation a student needs to enroll and succeed—without remediation—in a credit-bearing course at a postsecondary institution that offers a baccalaureate degree or in a high-quality certificate program that enables students to enter a career pathway with potential future advancement.
PTA.org
Sample questions by grade level The following are not actual questions, but samples of the types of questions students will find on the new ELA assessments. Example of a 3rd grade ELA question Students are asked to read a passage, from “How Animals Live” by Lisa Oram. They are then asked the following question: Drag the words from the word box into the correct locations on the graphic to show the life cycle of a butterfly as described in “How Animals Live”
1
4
2
WORDS
3
Egg Adult Pupa Larva
Example of a 6th grade ELA question Students are asked to read a passage from the fictional text “Julie of the Wolves” by Jean C. George and answer the following: SAMPLE ITEM In the passage, the author developed a strong character named Miyax. Think about Miyax and the details the author used to create the character. The passage ends with Miyax waiting for the black wolf to look at her. Write an original story to continue where the passage ended. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about the character Miyax as you tell what happens to her next. Answer:
Example of a 10th grade ELA question SAMPLE ITEM Use what you have learned from reading “Daedalus and Icarus” by Ovid and “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph” by Anne Sexton to write an essay that provides an analysis of how Sexton transforms Daedalus and Icarus. As a starting point, you may want to consider what is emphasized, absent, or different in the two texts, but feel free to develop your own focus for analysis. Develop your essay by providing textual evidence from both texts. Be sure to follow the conventions of standard English. Answer:
What Parents Can Expect This is a new set of standards and assessments with a new way of scoring. Therefore, it is not possible to directly compare new scores with old ones. The new assessments measure deeper knowledge and skills deemed particularly important for students’ futures, including problem-solving, writing, and critical thinking.
Because the standards are more rigorous, student achievement scores will initially be lower. A dip should not necessarily be interpreted as a decline in student learning or in educator performance. Educators expect the short-term decline to improve as teachers and students become more familiar with the standards and better equipped to meet the challenges they present.
How will schools support students during the transition? Schools have created a variety of models to assist students who are struggling with the standards. Remediation and summer courses, in-class adjustments based on ongoing in-class assessment results, and pull-out tutoring are just a few support strategies.
proficiency, growth, achievement, gap reduction, and graduation rates. Schools receive a rating in each category, which is then combined for a final score. New assessments will help us further understand where there are gaps in performance. Schools and educators can use the new test scores to see what’s working and what curriculum and instruction strategies need to be refined. In the short term, there will be no negative consequences for students who do not meet proficiency targets, such as holding them back a year. Instead, Minnesota will use the new assessment scores to help develop targeted support and remediation plans for students, teachers, and schools to ensure they are getting the support they need to succeed. Schools that are identified as the lowest performing or with the largest achievement gaps (designated as Priority and Focus Schools, respectively) must develop improvement plans, setting goals and working with Department of Education staff to ensure progress. A school is designated as Priority or Focus for three years, allowing sufficient time for new practices to take root. In addition, the highest performing schools are designated as Reward and Celebration Schools. These schools will be looked at for best practices that can be shared with other districts across the state.
How will students and teachers be held accountable?
Under the MMR system, the state has set a goal of reducing all achievement gaps by half by 2017.
The Minnesota Department of Education recently implemented a new accountability system to provide schools a better look at how they are doing. The Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) looks at several performance categories, including
In 2012, the Minnesota Legislature also passed Principal and Teacher evaluation laws. With models being developed by the state and pilots currently underway, schools will need to have their own evaluation systems in place by the 2014–2015 school year.
*
Take Action: Parents need to pay close attention to the new accountability system put in place so they can better advocate for their children. Parents’ collective voice is critical to ensure that testing is implemented well and with enough resources to ensure success. Minnesota should include parents and teachers in thoughtful conversations based on trust, collaboration and respect. If you would like additional details about how students, teachers and schools will be held accountable or more information on assessments in general, please call the Department of Education at 651-582-8231. Here are some questions that you might want to ask:
■■
What will happen if my child does not meet proficiency on the new assessments?
■■
How will teacher evaluations be affected if students don’t meet proficiency levels?
■■
How will school ratings change based on results of the new assessments?
PTA.org
Preparing and supporting your child ■■
Discuss the tests with your child. Make sure he or she is not afraid or anxious going into the new tests.
■■
Review test results with your child, taking time to discuss areas of strength and areas where there is room for
improvement. Bring the teacher into the discussion as needed.
■■
Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home and make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep before a test.
Staying informed and involved ■■
Read all comments written by the teacher on classroom lessons and tests. Ask teachers to explain anything that is unclear and discuss how you can best work together to address any concerns.
■■
Monitor your child’s progress. If your child needs extra help or wants to learn more about a subject, work with his or her teacher to identify opportunities for tutoring, after-school clubs, or other resources.
■■
Understand that a single test score does not represent all that your child can or cannot do. It is a snapshot only. Assessment scores are useful but should not be the only factor in determining a child’s academic growth.
■■
Meet with your child’s teacher as often as possible to discuss your child’s progress. Ask for activities to do at home to help your child prepare for tests and to improve your child’s proficiency in skills called for in the CCSS.
Additional Resources ■■
For a more detailed look at what the CCSS mean at each grade level, visit: www.pta.org/parentsguide
■■
For more information on Minnesota’s Assessment System, visit: http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/SchSup/TestAdmin/MNTests
© Copyright 2013 National PTA. All rights reserved.
Assessments in Minnesota In 2010, Minnesota adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts (ELA), which were modified, supplemented with state-specific content, and incorporated into the Minnesota K–12 Standards. These new standards offer a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn as they progress through grades K–12. Minnesota is now rolling out the new ELA assessments aligned to the these more rigorous standards, which will complement the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) in math, science, and other core subjects.
What are the CCSS on which the Minnesota K–12 ELA Standards are based? The CCSS are designed to enhance and improve student learning by providing greater clarity and rigor than previous standards. They are more relevant to the real world, giving young people the knowledge and skills they need for college and career success. They are also robust, ensuring a future U.S. workforce that can compete in the global economy. The new standards emphasize fewer topics and stress not only rote skills, but also conceptual and critical thinking. The CCCS build knowledge from grade to grade, enabling students to master important concepts before moving on to others.
in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, college faculty, parents, and education experts. They build on the excellent foundation laid across all states, and have been internationally benchmarked to ensure rigor on par with top-performing nations. To date, more than 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the CCSS. Minnesota has adopted only the most relevant principles of the CCSS to enhance its ELA program.
This Guide Includes: ■■
Overview of new assessments, which measure student proficiency against more rigorous standards
The standards are not a curriculum. Decisions about curriculum, tools, materials, and textbooks are left to local districts and schools that know their students best.
■■
Sample test items
■■
Overview of accountability for students, teachers, and schools
The CCSS were developed through a state-led initiative, spearheaded by governors and school superintendents,
■■
Additional resources for parents
New Assessments Why new assessments? Teachers and principals talk a lot about assessments, which are used to measure students’ academic achievement. This document highlights the end-of-year summative assessments, which judge student progress toward mastering state standards and program and school effectiveness. For other assessments used, see box at right. New summative assessments will address longstanding concerns that parents, educators, and employers have had about current state assessments—namely that they measure students’ ability to memorize facts, rather than their critical thinking and knowledge application skills. What is different about the new assessments? The new assessments will enable educators to deepen their understanding of student progress from grade to grade—and just as importantly, identify any gaps in progress so they can address them well before students enter college or the workforce.
Types of assessments Classroom-based: Individual tests given by teachers as needed throughout the year to assess knowledge and skills in specific areas
Interim: The same test repeated at set intervals to measure student growth over time
Summative: End-of-year assessments administered by the state to measure student performance against a common set of standards This document addresses summative assessments.
New English language arts assessments will demonstrate: ■■ Whether students can read and comprehend texts of varying complexities. ■■ How well students can integrate information across sources to make a persuasive argument.
■■ The degree to which students can use context to determine the meaning of academic vocabulary.
Benefits of new assessments ■■ During the next few years, assessments will provide results more quickly and in an increasingly readable and easy-to-understand format, most likely online. Parents can use this information to better communicate with teachers and school administrators about their child’s progress, and teachers can use it to better tailor instruction to the child’s needs.
■■ Minnesota continues to expand online testing, moving toward providing MCA tests online. (Schools will continue having the option to administer paper tests). Computer-based assessments are more efficient, innovative, and engaging, and they enable insight into student progress at multiple points.
■■ The new assessments will be designed to provide accurate measures of achievement and growth for all students, including those with disabilities and English language learners.
College and Career Readiness Defined: The level of preparation a student needs to enroll and succeed—without remediation—in a credit-bearing course at a postsecondary institution that offers a baccalaureate degree or in a high-quality certificate program that enables students to enter a career pathway with potential future advancement.
PTA.org
Sample questions by grade level The following are not actual questions, but samples of the types of questions students will find on the new ELA assessments. Example of a 3rd grade ELA question Students are asked to read a passage, from “How Animals Live” by Lisa Oram. They are then asked the following question: Drag the words from the word box into the correct locations on the graphic to show the life cycle of a butterfly as described in “How Animals Live”
1
4
2
WORDS
3
Egg Adult Pupa Larva
Example of a 6th grade ELA question Students are asked to read a passage from the fictional text “Julie of the Wolves” by Jean C. George and answer the following: SAMPLE ITEM In the passage, the author developed a strong character named Miyax. Think about Miyax and the details the author used to create the character. The passage ends with Miyax waiting for the black wolf to look at her. Write an original story to continue where the passage ended. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about the character Miyax as you tell what happens to her next. Answer:
Example of a 10th grade ELA question SAMPLE ITEM Use what you have learned from reading “Daedalus and Icarus” by Ovid and “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph” by Anne Sexton to write an essay that provides an analysis of how Sexton transforms Daedalus and Icarus. As a starting point, you may want to consider what is emphasized, absent, or different in the two texts, but feel free to develop your own focus for analysis. Develop your essay by providing textual evidence from both texts. Be sure to follow the conventions of standard English. Answer:
What Parents Can Expect This is a new set of standards and assessments with a new way of scoring. Therefore, it is not possible to directly compare new scores with old ones. The new assessments measure deeper knowledge and skills deemed particularly important for students’ futures, including problem-solving, writing, and critical thinking.
Because the standards are more rigorous, student achievement scores will initially be lower. A dip should not necessarily be interpreted as a decline in student learning or in educator performance. Educators expect the short-term decline to improve as teachers and students become more familiar with the standards and better equipped to meet the challenges they present.
How will schools support students during the transition? Schools have created a variety of models to assist students who are struggling with the standards. Remediation and summer courses, in-class adjustments based on ongoing in-class assessment results, and pull-out tutoring are just a few support strategies.
proficiency, growth, achievement, gap reduction, and graduation rates. Schools receive a rating in each category, which is then combined for a final score. New assessments will help us further understand where there are gaps in performance. Schools and educators can use the new test scores to see what’s working and what curriculum and instruction strategies need to be refined. In the short term, there will be no negative consequences for students who do not meet proficiency targets, such as holding them back a year. Instead, Minnesota will use the new assessment scores to help develop targeted support and remediation plans for students, teachers, and schools to ensure they are getting the support they need to succeed. Schools that are identified as the lowest performing or with the largest achievement gaps (designated as Priority and Focus Schools, respectively) must develop improvement plans, setting goals and working with Department of Education staff to ensure progress. A school is designated as Priority or Focus for three years, allowing sufficient time for new practices to take root. In addition, the highest performing schools are designated as Reward and Celebration Schools. These schools will be looked at for best practices that can be shared with other districts across the state.
How will students and teachers be held accountable?
Under the MMR system, the state has set a goal of reducing all achievement gaps by half by 2017.
The Minnesota Department of Education recently implemented a new accountability system to provide schools a better look at how they are doing. The Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) looks at several performance categories, including
In 2012, the Minnesota Legislature also passed Principal and Teacher evaluation laws. With models being developed by the state and pilots currently underway, schools will need to have their own evaluation systems in place by the 2014–2015 school year.
*
Take Action: Parents need to pay close attention to the new accountability system put in place so they can better advocate for their children. Parents’ collective voice is critical to ensure that testing is implemented well and with enough resources to ensure success. Minnesota should include parents and teachers in thoughtful conversations based on trust, collaboration and respect. If you would like additional details about how students, teachers and schools will be held accountable or more information on assessments in general, please call the Department of Education at 651-582-8231. Here are some questions that you might want to ask:
■■
What will happen if my child does not meet proficiency on the new assessments?
■■
How will teacher evaluations be affected if students don’t meet proficiency levels?
■■
How will school ratings change based on results of the new assessments?
PTA.org
Preparing and supporting your child ■■
Discuss the tests with your child. Make sure he or she is not afraid or anxious going into the new tests.
■■
Review test results with your child, taking time to discuss areas of strength and areas where there is room for
improvement. Bring the teacher into the discussion as needed.
■■
Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home and make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep before a test.
Staying informed and involved ■■
Read all comments written by the teacher on classroom lessons and tests. Ask teachers to explain anything that is unclear and discuss how you can best work together to address any concerns.
■■
Monitor your child’s progress. If your child needs extra help or wants to learn more about a subject, work with his or her teacher to identify opportunities for tutoring, after-school clubs, or other resources.
■■
Understand that a single test score does not represent all that your child can or cannot do. It is a snapshot only. Assessment scores are useful but should not be the only factor in determining a child’s academic growth.
■■
Meet with your child’s teacher as often as possible to discuss your child’s progress. Ask for activities to do at home to help your child prepare for tests and to improve your child’s proficiency in skills called for in the CCSS.
Additional Resources ■■
For a more detailed look at what the CCSS mean at each grade level, visit: www.pta.org/parentsguide
■■
For more information on Minnesota’s Assessment System, visit: http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/SchSup/TestAdmin/MNTests
© Copyright 2013 National PTA. All rights reserved.
